Govt urged to boost tourism sector

Govt urged to boost tourism sector
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, JULY 22
Opposition MLAs on Thursday maintained the State wasn’t doing enough to boost the tourism sector in terms of infrastructure and attracting more tourists.
Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza said as highlighted in the media the State was ranking behind as compared to other States like Kerala and Rajasthan. These States have snatched tourists from Goa, he asserted.
Drugs and rapes will not bring tourists to Goa and the State wasn’t doing enough, he mentioned. The MLA rubbished an ad hoc committee report that had furnished wrong figures of tourist arrivals. He said the report showed more foreign tourist arrivals when in reality it was the domestic ones that flock in larger numbers.
He said not all people coming to Goa go to casinos. There is a need to portray the State as a family and honeymoon destinations, he mentioned.
Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar maintained there was a good scope for tourism in his constituency but there was a need to infuse basic facilities on the lengthy coast that houses many beaches. 
Coastal areas like Arambol and Morjim lack the requisite facilities. We are also in need of additional shacks so that local youth can see employment potential. I say so because there is no potential for our youth in employment because Sattari taluka seems to be taking the cake when it comes to jobs, he maintained. “GMC is full of people from Sattari. Where do our youth go for jobs?” he questioned.
Congress MLA Francis Silveira said there was a great potential for tourism in Siridao which has a beach that needs maintenance by utilising development funds from the Centre. He called for beautifying the chapel of Jesus Nazareth that is located in a scenic environment overlooking the Arabian sea. 
Poinguinim’s BJP MLA Ramesh Tawadkar yet again called upon the need to promote agriculture tourism in places like Gaondongrim and Cotigao in his constituency. These places are bountiful in nature’s beauty. Agriculture tourism here will create employment for the less educated, he highlighted.